Black coffee is a morning elixir, helping people wake up and provide a jolt of energy. It’s famous for caffeine, of course, but it also comes with some impressive health benefits. Americans love the dark brew: More than two-thirds, 67%, report drinking coffee in the past day — more than any other beverage including plain water, according to a 2024 report from the .
That’s a 20-year high, it notes. Take a sip and you will feel the effects right away: The caffeine in coffee is a central nervous system stimulant, “speeding everything up” in the body and brain, according to the . “It will increase your energy levels.
It can also decrease feelings of fatigue,” Lisa Young, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, tells TODAY.
com. Research also points to a positive impact on heart health, brain health, weight loss and mood, she adds. The latest , published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism on Sept.
17, 2024, finds moderate caffeine intake may protect against Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. But it's not about refilling all day long. Drinking two to three cups of coffee was the "sweet spot," the researchers found, .
“There are benefits to coffee. ..
. But if you are a coffee drinker, I still think you should watch how much you drink,” Young advises. Black coffee has virtually no calories or fat as long as you don’t add cream or sugar to the beverage.
One cup of brewed coffee prep.